Welcome

This course is for dental nurses seeking CPD mapped to the GDC Safe Practitioner Framework Professionalism outcome P 3.10: Describe and where appropriate support patients to negotiate the barriers and challenges which prevent sections of the population accessing oral healthcare, including patients from marginalised populations and patients with protected characteristics.

SPF fit: This course supports the GDC Safe Practitioner Framework domain of Professionalism, sub domain Social Accountability. It focuses on learning outcome P 3.10 and links closely to behaviour P(B)17: Contribute positively to the healthcare communities of which you are a part.

The Professionalism domain expects dental nurses to behave ethically, show leadership and social accountability, advocate for oral health, promote good oral health and understand sustainable service provision across communities. This course keeps that broad domain in view while staying tightly focused on the single learning outcome named above.

Why This Course Matters

• It is targeted: the course is built around one SPF Professionalism learning outcome rather than a broad topic.
• It is dental-nurse specific: examples address chairside care, reception support, decontamination, handover, records, patient communication and practice systems.
• It respects scope: dental nurses will learn how to observe, prepare, support, record, question and escalate without taking over decisions outside their competence.
• It supports professionalism: the course links everyday practice to patient safety, trust, teamwork and wider oral health outcomes.

A Simple Learner Spine

• Describe barriers and challenges that prevent access to oral healthcare.
• Recognise marginalised populations and protected characteristics in access planning.
• Support patients to negotiate barriers where appropriate and within scope.
• Use inclusive communication and reasonable adjustment awareness.
• Escalate repeated access barriers as practice or system issues.